What do happy homeschoolers have in common?

Over the years, I?ve spoken with thousands of homeschoolers from all over the world. When I asked experienced moms what they do to cultivate peace and joy in their homeschool lives, I discovered there are five habits happy homeschool mamas often share.

The good news is that YOU can adopt these habits, no matter what kind of homeschooler you are, what method or curriculum you use, what your budget is, or how many kids you have. You don?t need a new curriculum, schedule, or homeschooling philosophy. You don?t need to become a new person. It?s possible to feel happier about your homeschool, exactly as it is right now.

Today, I?m sharing a recording of a talk I gave at several homeschool conferences last year about the five habits of happy homeschoolers and how they can help you have a happier homeschool today.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why building and nurturing relationships is central to a happy homeschoolHow getting clear on your real priorities will help you simplify and do lessThe way comparison?to others, to strangers on Instagram, to public schools?sucks the joy out of our homeschools

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/five-habits-of-happy-homeschoolers

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What if I told you there?s an Icelandic Christmas tradition where the whole point is to spend an evening sitting around, sipping hot cocoa, and reading books?

Sign me up, right?

Today, we?re talking about Jolabokaflod, which loosely translates to ?Yule Book Flood,? how it started, and how you can bring the magic of this bookish tradition into your home this Christmas.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Where the Icelandic Yule Book Flood first beganHow Jolabokaflod is an invitation to slow down and connect with each other during the busy Christmas seasonThe only three things you need for your Jolabokaflod, plus tips from RAR members on how they celebrate 

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/icelandic-christmas

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

"Marley was dead, to begin with."

That is one of the most famous first lines in English literature. It comes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which is perhaps the greatest Christmas ghost story ever told.

What is it that speaks to so many of us about this story of Scrooge and his ghosts?

Today I want to talk about what makes this story so beloved and enduring?from its original bestselling release in 1843 through countless adaptations?to the place of fondness and tradition it has in so many of our homes today. 

In this episode, you?ll hear from RAR Premium members; Joe Sutphin, who did the beautiful illustrations for Little Christmas Carol; Samantha Silva, author of Mr. Dickens and His Carol; and some RAR kids on the lasting impact of Dickens?s tale and what they love so much about A Christmas Carol.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why we love A Christmas Carol as a read-aloud for the whole familyHow Joe Sutphin illustrated and populated Scrooge?s world for Little Christmas CarolThe real backstory of why Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, which inspired Samantha Silva?s novel

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/all-about-a-christmas-carol

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As homeschooling moms, we often focus more on what we?re not doing than what we are doing. We fret about the lessons we should be teaching or the projects we should be creating.

But here?s what we want you to remember (and what we try to remind ourselves): what you?re already doing is powerful. It?s purposeful. And best of all, what you?re already doing builds an enduring family culture.

In this bonus episode, you?ll discover the power of what you?re already doing and why the culture we create in our homes matters much more than whatever curriculum we use.

Today, we?re unlocking our most recent Circle with Sarah Live, a regular RAR Premium event where I mentor homeschooling moms like you. After all, we believe that the key to a successful homeschool is a peaceful, happy, homeschooling parent.

You?ll hear about all the things you?re already doing that make a significant impact in your homeschool. Plus, you?ll get an insider look at RAR?s framework for making rich and meaningful connections with your kids through books. 

There are cupcakes involved.

Whether you?re ready to join RAR Premium or not, I think this episode will help you think about how you structure your homeschool and discover how the things you?re already doing have a huge impact on your family culture.

Remember, you?ve got everything you need to teach with peace that transcends all understanding. You were made for such a time and such a homeschool as this. I?m praying for you.

Books mentioned in this episode:

James Herriot?s Treasury for ChildrenThe Vanderbeekers of 141st StBecause BarbaraA Place to Hang the MoonThe Power of MomentsWhere the Mountain Meets the MoonWhen the Sea Turned to Silver

Links:

Find out more about RAR Premium!

RAR #248: Nurturing Creative Dreams (Your Child?s and Your Own)

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

How do you know a good book when you see it?

I remember walking into the big, beautiful children?s section at the library with my oldest, who was a baby. I wanted to find books to read aloud to her, but it was hard to know which ones we would love. 

That longing to find good books for my children was the spark that eventually became the Read-Aloud Revival podcast and RAR Premium community, where we?re always trying to find and share the very best books to read aloud with your family.

Today, RAR Premium Coordinator Leilani Curtis joins me to chat about how we select the books for our booklists here at Read-Aloud Revival. We?re also going to share our best advice for being more confident in choosing books to bring into your home, whether it?s at the bookstore or the library.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How our booklists can help you choose quality books to share with your familyThree quick questions to help you decide if a book is worth a longer lookThe qualities we look for in books we recommend

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-we-choose-books

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

A library should be a kind of paradise, don?t you agree? Author and illustrator Barbara Cooney certainly thought so. 

Barbara Cooney was an extraordinary author and illustrator of over 100 children?s books with stories that span the world, from the shores of Greece to the mountains of Appalachia. The more I learned about Barbara, the more I wanted to tell the story of this beautiful artist who, in every aspect of her life?from raising four children to traveling to gardening to winning awards for her illustrations?was committed to capturing the beauty in (and for!) the world.

Because Barbara: Barbara Cooney Paints Her World has been nearly six years in the making. Today, I want to take you behind the scenes and introduce you to the team that made it happen, from the very first draft to the final, beautiful book you?ll hold in your hands.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

The many drafts, revisions, critiques, and edits that brought me to the throughline of Barbara?s wonderfully full and creative lifeHow the art team took on the daunting task of styling and illustrating the book to echo Barbara?s style without directly imitating itHow sound design and animation bring the audio and video books to life 

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/making-because-barbara

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Raising creative kids is a beautiful, worthwhile endeavor, but not one that is always neat and tidy! 

In today's episode, I?ve invited two of my good friends and fellow creatives?authors S. D. Smith and Carolyn Leiloglou?for a conversation on how our creative work as adults impacts our kids. We discuss everything from the challenges of nurturing creativity in our families to the influence of stories on our hearts and minds.  

S. D. Smith is the author of the wildly popular and perennial Let the Kids Speak favorite Green Ember series and is a father to four imaginative children. 

Carolyn Leiloglou is the author of the middle-grade fantasy series The Restorationists and a homeschool mom to four creative kids.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How connecting with the wonder in our kids fuels and enhances creativityThe value of boredom (a best-kept creative secret!) The nuances of how we measure creative success

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/fostering-wonder-and-creativity 

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

What if I told you that your homeschool could be relaxed, bookish, and ordinary? If you?re anything like me, that?s music to your ears. 

Our kids thrive?and we do too?when our day-to-day homeschool is relaxed, bookish, and ordinary. In fact, that's what over 726 experienced homeschool moms told me were the three most important qualities. 

Today, I?m sharing a recording from a session I did at a series of homeschool conferences  earlier this year called ?Relaxed, Bookish, and Ordinary?.

If you?re hoping that your homeschool can be any or all of those things, listen in?I bet you?re closer to it than you think.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How a relaxed approach impacts your child?s ability to learn and your peace as a homeschoolerThe academic, personal, and relationship benefits of having a bookish homeschoolWhy you don?t need to strive for an extraordinary homeschool to do it well

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/relaxed-bookish-ordinary

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Which of these two activities would be easier for you? 

Describe the best life you could achieve over the next twenty years.Describe the best things that have happened to you over the past twenty years.

I know that as a busy wife and mama, dreaming for the future can feel daunting. As I was reading Jon Acuff?s book, All It Takes Is a Goal this summer, I was struck by how this exercise can shift our perspectives as homeschool mamas and mentors of our children. 

In today?s episode, New York Times bestselling author and speaker Jon Acuff is joining me to discuss how to actually achieve those goals amidst the busyness of daily life (hint: you?re probably already doing more than you think!). 

We?ll also chat about the book he wrote with his teenage daughters, How Teens Win: The Student?s Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals, which comes out September 10, 2024.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How looking back at our best moments, big and small, can help us create a vision for the futureWhy it?s okay that your imagination for your kids is bigger than your calendarHow auditioning small goals helps you successfully transition from optimism and realism for yourself and your kids

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/best-moments-in-homeschooling

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Do you have a child who dreams of being a writer? Or maybe it?s your dream? How do you support those dreams and foster creativity while also raising kids and running a household?

Today, I?m delighted to welcome back author Laura Martin, who?s giving us her very best advice for how to nurture your child?s creative dreams and your own.

Laura Martin is the author of some of my very favorite page-turners for kids, including The Edge of Extinction series and Glitch, and she has a new book out, Wander Lost, that I know you?ll love too. 

We talk about the importance of capturing ideas as they come, what creative writing curriculum gets wrong about being a writer, and lots more.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why Laura says that ideas are like lightning bugsHow Laura nurtures her daughter?s creativity with time, space, and access to materialsHow Laura honed in on what she needs in order to write while juggling four children

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/nurturing-creative-dreams

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

We recently took a poll in RAR Premium about favorite reading genres, and it turns out that historical fiction isn?t just my favorite genre, but it?s the favorite of many of you as well.

Today, I?ve invited historical fiction lover and award-winning author Anna Rose Johnson to join me to discuss just what it is about historical fiction that draws us in. 

We?re also chatting about the inspiration for her stories, her research process, and what her parents did to support her as a budding writer. In turn, she shares a ton of recommendations for her favorite historical fiction for young readers.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How historical fiction sweeps readers through a portal to another worldHow Anna Rose breaks down her research process into stages so it doesn?t get overwhelmingHow re-reading helped Anna Rose develop her ear and voice as a writer

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/why-we-love-historical-fiction/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

If you?re a homeschooling mom, chances are good that you?re familiar with Sally Clarkson. She is one of the most beloved names in homeschooling worldwide, and it?s no wonder why. 

She homeschooled her own four kids to adulthood and has been writing and encouraging homeschool moms for decades. She also happens to be one of our most frequently requested guests here at Read-Aloud Revival.

So we have a treat for you today! 

A few years back, Sally Clarkson joined us in RAR Premium and shared the advice she wished she could have given to her younger self. With the gifts of hindsight and experience, she tells us what she would have said if she could rewind the clock and whisper a few sage words to her younger self. She even broke it down into the advice she wishes she?d had at different phases of parenting and homeschooling! 

Now we?re sharing her valuable wisdom with all of you.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why you and your unique gifts and skills are the most essential part of your homeschoolThe key to a successful homeschool experience (hint: it?s all about you, mama!) How to cultivate trusting, open relationships with your teenagers that will get them through the hard times

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/advice-to-younger-self

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

In the last couple of episodes, we?ve discussed the importance of fairy tales, especially in the development of the hearts and minds of our children.

And you might be wondering . . . now that you know about the Gospel connections and symbolism of fairy tales, do you need to dissect every story and present all of the details to your kids?

Experts say no. But it can be incredibly edifying for you as an adult!

Today, we?ll discuss how to bring these ?truer than true? stories into your kids? lives and how deepening our own understanding of their symbolism and meaning enriches our reading lives too.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why your children don?t need you to point out the deeper meanings and connections in fairy talesHow fairy tales provide us an opportunity to shape our child?s lovesWhy simply reading fairy tales aloud to your kids is enough

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/how-fairy-tales/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

How can our families cultivate healthy relationships with technology? 

We?re all trying to impose limits on how, when, and why our kids interact with technology. But in our increasingly tech-driven world, it can be hard to navigate.

Writer Erin Loechner is joining me on the podcast to discuss her new book, The Opt-Out Family, and to offer her life-giving take on building lasting connections with your kids. 

We discuss everything from the importance of boredom to Erin?s practical and easy-to-implement advice for becoming unplugged. I hope this conversation leaves you inspired to pursue a life less documented and more delightful!

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

What we can learn from tech about capturing our kids? attention Why our kids need more space for curiosity, wonder, and boredom (and how our phones tend to get in the way)Why you don?t have to be all-or-nothing with technology 

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/more-than-technology/   

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Fairy tales are the stories that shape so many of our childhoods, but they are more than just whimsical tales for children.

They can hold deep, gospel truth and offer profound insight into the Christian life. They have the power to inspire hope, ignite courage, and spark delight in not only our children, but in us, too. 

Fairy tales aren?t merely stories, they?re vessels of light in our modern world. They have the capacity to become companions to us, to buoy us along the journey. 

In today?s show, I talk about why fairy tales are worth sharing with our families, as they shape our understanding of the world and our own part in it. 

Don't miss our brand-new fairy tale book list! Text ?fairytale? to 337777 or visit readaloudrevival.com/243 to see the lists. (They?re separated by age groups, and there?s something for everyone!) 

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

What makes fairy tales ?truer than true? How fairy tales teach children about hope and confronting fearsWhy you probably need to worry less about ?the weird stuff? than you think, and trust your gut on what your child is ready for

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/why-fairy-tales/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

A picture book is an art gallery for the lap. ?

That?s something we say all the time here at Read-Aloud Revival, and today we?re going to introduce you to one of our absolute favorite examples of this.  

We're diving into the enchanting world of illustrated picture books with Scott Gustafson, the master illustrator behind the breathtaking illustrations in the beloved Classic Fairy Tales picture book.

Classic Fairy Tales is my all-time favorite illustrated collection of fairy tales, and it?s one of our picks for the RAR Family Book Club, A Fairy Tale Summer.

Scott?s breathtaking work has captivated the imagination of readers of all ages. He brings these stories to life in a way that is nothing short of magical.

And because audio alone could never do these gorgeous illustrations justice, we also recorded a video of our conversation, in which Scott shares many of his fabulous illustrations on-screen. 

You can find the video along with the full show notes at readaloudrevival.com/242 or on the Read-Aloud Revival YouTube page.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How Scott?s use of light and color helps the reader journey through each painted sceneWhy Scott uses people, costumes, and objects as references in his paintingsScott?s best advice for budding artists and illustrators

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/art-gallery-for-the-lap

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Summer is fast approaching, and here's what we propose: a relaxed and simple summer that offers just enough structure to keep those long sticky days from melting into chaos... and just enough fun to keep your kids asking for more.

Also: Fairy Tales. 

Last week, I did a couple of live workshops on three simple steps to have a Fairy Tale Summer with your kids, no matter how old they are.

In today?s episode, I share the workshop recording, and you can also watch the video workshop that includes all of my slides.

If you want to join us at RAR Premium for a Fairy Tale Summer, head to readaloudrevival.com/fairytale or text ?fairytale? to 33777, and we?ll send you an invitation.

Here's what we'll talk about:

How reading fairy tales can make your summer easier (and more fun)The fairy tales Sarah recommends for every ageThe tippy top thing you can do to make sure your kids make delightful memories this summer (it?s way less work than you think)

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Are you intimidated by the thought of teaching Shakespeare? 

You?re not alone. 

A lot of people struggle to connect to Shakespeare?s work, even if they really want their kids to be familiar with his plays. 

What if I told you there's a way to make teaching Shakespeare to your kids enjoyable for them?

?AND delightful for you? 

In today?s episode, Ken Ludwig, celebrated playwright and author of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, argues that the reason so many of us feel like we don?t get Shakespeare is because people don?t know why (or how!) to teach it. 

But figuring out how to teach Shakespeare well is worth it, because not only was he groundbreaking in his time, but he has so much to teach us about what it means to be human. 

Don?t miss this replay of our live conversation where Ken shares all his best tips on teaching Shakespeare to your kids and answers audience questions. 

Plus, Sarah shares her favorite resources for helping kids get excited about Shakespeare. 

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How to break down passages for young kids one at a timeIs it possible to teach Shakespeare with a wide range of ages?What do we do with Shakespeare?s?ahem?thornier content? (After all, there is a lot of it)

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-teach-shakespeare

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Can you believe it? The Read-Aloud Revival Podcast is ten years old!!

That means it?s time for a party! ??

Ten years is a long time to have a podcast, but we?re not slowing down anytime soon. We?re having WAY too much fun for that.

In honor of this milestone, I?ve got a Casey Kasem-style countdown for you of the top ten episodes from the first ten years of Read Aloud Revival.

And as a way to say thank you to YOU for listening, if you leave us a review before April 30, 2024, you?ll be entered into our raffle to be one of ten winners of an exclusive, all-around fabulous RAR tote bag (these currently aren?t for sale, so don?t miss your chance to win!) 

Ready to party?

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Some of my all-time FAVORITE pieces of wisdom from our guestsHow the RAR team developed a few of our best resources for homeschoolersEssential advice for teaching from rest

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/top-10-in-10

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

When you hear the name Max Lucado, what comes to mind for you?

Max Lucado is best known as a pastor, speaker, best-selling inspirational author, and, in many Christian families, he?s a household name.

His books are written for everyone?especially those who are hurting, lonely, and discouraged. In his writing, he constantly points his readers back to the truth: that God loves you and you should let Him love you. 

Max is also an author of children?s books, several of which are favorites around here. ?

Sarah invited him to Read-Aloud Revival to discuss his newest picture book, Just in Case You Ever Feel Alone, illustrated by Eve Tharlet. It?s a cozy, gentle book, perfect for snuggling up and sharing with your kiddos.

How are stories uniquely positioned to help readers feel seen and understood? Which books did Max Lucado love as a child? And what does he hope his books will do in the lives of his readers, young and old? We dig into all of it.

Listen in to hear: 

The power of stories to meet people where they are and touch their heartsWhy Max Lucado wanted to write a book about lonelinessHow reading with your kids builds their sense of comfort and safety

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/max-lucado

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Do you ever find yourself wishing you had more time to read?  

Oh, every day? (Yeah, we get that.)

We?re pretty confident that every mom wishes she had more time to read. 

Carving out a little time to enjoy your own reading life is worthwhile, even in those seasons when you think it?s impossible. (Sarah has six kids, and when three of them were babies age one and under, it definitely felt like an impossible season!)

But reading makes us better humans, better mamas, and better women. It also makes us happier. And that matters. 

Why? Because the key to a successful homeschool is a peaceful, happy mother. 

When you know you can count on your reading life to be a source of joy and refreshment regardless of how tough the day is, you just might find yourself being a little happier. A little lighter. A little more joyful.

On today?s show, we?re talking about how to make time for your own reading life, even when it feels like you don?t have five minutes to spare. 

Listen in for:

Ideas for sneaking in time to read (even on your busiest days)How to make the most of surprise pockets of timeStrategies for handling interruptions, prioritizing your reading, and finding time to pick up a book even when you?re exhausted

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/make-time-for-reading

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

We all want our kids to read, right?

If you?re listening to this podcast, it?s probably safe to say that you want your kids to grow up to read more often than the average adult does. We want them to be lifelong learners and avid readers who read for pleasure.

So it?s worth considering how we can cultivate the habits of real adult readers in our kids so that they grow up to be the readers we want them to be. And it turns out some of those skills are actually in direct opposition to how we tend to approach reading with our kids.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How choosing what to read is a skill you can help your kids developEight habits of avid adult readersPractical tips for cultivating the skills of adult readers in your kids

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/lifelong-reading-habits

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Today, I?m sharing two recent episodes from my weekly coaching podcast, Circle with Sarah, that is available exclusively to members of RAR Premium.

I wanted to share them with all of you because I think the message applies to most of us.

A lot of us have this funny habit of focusing on getting DONE with the thing we most want to do. Of getting it over with and checking it off the list. It?s maybe more prevalent in our lives than we even realize. And I want to invite you to think about how that impacts your homeschool and how you might find your homeschooling to be easier and more joyful if you?re aware of it.

If you would like this kind of encouraging boost each week, get RAR Premium and you?ll get instant access to all of the Circle with Sarah podcast episodes and new episodes every Monday.

I think it?ll make a difference in the peace and joy you experience day to day in your homeschool. Head to RARpremium.com to learn more.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why we should treat learning more like knitting, doing a puzzle, or readingHow focusing on the doing lets us rest now, instead of waiting for when we?re ?done?How to reframe your goals to focus on doing, rather than being done

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/doing-not-getting-done

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

This year at Read Aloud Revival, we?re focusing on reading for joy.

It?s so easy for reading to become another thing on your to-do list, but when we make reading a source of joy, of respite from our busy lives, it?s like running into a clear creek on a hot, dusty hike. Nurturing your reading life nurtures you, which in turn helps us be better moms, better homeschoolers, better parents, better women.

Today I?m joined by Jennifer Pepito, creator of The Peaceful Press, which offers fabulous curriculum for homeschoolers, and she is the author of our spring RAR Premium Mama Book Club pick, Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How fiction can teach us as much about parenting our kids as a bevy of parenting manualsWhy connecting with your kids is the heart of homeschoolingFinding the balance between giving your all to mothering and letting go of the outcomes

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-books-make-us-better-moms

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

There is something kind of tragic that happens when our kids become readers of their own right. It doesn?t always happen, of course, and there are ways for us to prevent it. But it?s awfully common. That thing I?m talking about? When reading starts to feel like school.

It happens to all of us at one point or another, and it?s very common especially at this time of year when school is well underway. Parents will notice a significant drop in how much their kids are reading for pleasure?if they?re reading for pleasure at all. 

Obviously this isn?t what we want for our kids. But it?s easy to feel frustrated or panicked that our kids no longer seem to enjoy reading. 

The good news? This is simpler to guard against than you might think.

Today, I?m revisiting an episode from a few years ago about what to do when reading becomes a slog. What do we do when reading starts to feel like school?

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

The proven, positive impacts of free, voluntary readingWhy curriculums with long book lists raise red flags for meIdeas for making reading an invitation to enjoyment, not another thing to check off the list

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/when-reading-isnt-fun

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

What are fairy tales? Why do we love them so much? And why do these stories continue to capture the imaginations of countless generations?

To help me answer those questions, I?m welcoming author Sarah Arthur to the podcast.

Personally, I fell in love with Sarah?s writing through A Light So Lovely, on the spiritual legacy of Madeleine L?Engle. And when I found out she was working on a young adult fantasy, and that it was a sort of love letter to fairy tales? I had to have her on the show.

She joins me to talk about what makes fairy tales so powerful, the benefits of embracing the imaginative and the fantastical in our reading, and lots more.

Sarah Arthur is the author of a dozen books for teens and adults, including the bestselling Walking with Frodo: A Devotional Journey through The Lord of the Rings. After over 25 years working with youth she plays a wicked game of Four Square?but absolutely refuses to eat cold pizza from a box, ever. She has served as preliminary fiction judge for the Christianity Today Book Awards, was a founding board member of the annual C. S. Lewis Festival, and co-directs the Madeleine L?Engle Writing Retreats. She?s a mom of sons, a writer, and today?s highly esteemed guest.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

The elements that draw us into fairytalesHow ?escapist? fiction actually helps us understand the truthHow imaginative stories create an invitation rather than a prescription for experiences

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-fairy-tales-enchant-us

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Today, I?ve got another Best Of RAR episode for you.

I wanted to revisit this episode because it feels extra relevant this time of year as we?re thinking about setting goals and resolutions for the year ahead.

Personally, I tend to feel a little overwhelmed by it and I bet some of you can relate.

And when it comes to books and goals for our reading lives, one of the things we hear at Read Aloud Revival all the time is, ?There are so many books and so little time!?

There are SO MANY good books we want to read aloud with our families and we?re always trying to figure out how to fit more in. But we don?t want our read-alouds to become merely another item on our lengthy to-do lists. So how do we quell the bookish overwhelm?

That?s what I?m breaking down in this replay of an Ask Sarah episode with that exact question.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

What it really means to read aloud ?every day?Why it?s okay if you don?t get to all of the books (promise!)Simple ways to expand the genres you and your kids read

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-quell-overwhelm

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Today we?re airing one of my favorite episodes from last year, all about Jolabokaflod, which is a Christmas ?book flood,? in the Icelandic tradition.

What if I told you this tradition makes your life easier, not harder? 

During Jolabokaflod, you gift members of your family with new books, and everyone drinks hot cocoa and spends the whole of Christmas Eve reading. If I didn?t get your attention before, I?ve got it now.

There is so much that happens this time of year that adds to our to-do list, that puts more on our plates, but Jolabokaflod is truly a joy. It is a moment of rest and refreshment for you too.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Where the tradition came from3 super-simple steps to your own JolabokaflodHow other mamas just like you have made the tradition their own

I hope you bring this tradition to your family and that you have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas.

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-jolabokaflod

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

I know that if you?re an RAR Family, you are raising kids who love to read, because that?s what we do around here!

And with a love of reading often comes the inspiration to write. And those young writers will come to you looking for feedback on their stories. But what if we, as parents, don?t see ourselves as experts or writers and feel like we don?t have much to offer in the way of feedback?

It happens for a lot of homeschoolers. We know that homeschools are fabulous places to grow young writers, but that we can also feel a little ill-equipped as their writing mentors.

Which is where today?s guests come in. Brett Harris and Kara Swanson were both homeschooled and they share a commitment to mentoring young writers and helping parents become better mentors to their own young writers.

They?re here to reassure you that you do know what makes a good story, and share some of their best advice for giving your child useful feedback on their creative writing.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Six key elements of story that you probably already know, but just didn?t have words forQuestions to ask your young writer that will set them up for future story?and even career?successWhy expressing your support for your child?s writing is probably the most important thing you can do

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-give-feedback

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

I want to introduce you to one of my new favorite authors.

She's younger than most published authors. In fact, she says she decided to publish her first book at nine years old. When she was 10, she attended her first writing conference. When she was 13, she self published her first book. She was homeschooled. You probably could have already guessed that. And she has been on a roll ever since.

Now she's 20 and she's making books I know your families are going to love.

Millie Florence shares her journey from whispering stories to herself under the covers to published author, plus her advice for aspiring young writers and their parents.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How Millie?s homeschool experience informed her writing, and vice versaWhy it was so important that Millie?s parents took her professional writing aspirations seriouslyWhy Millie encourages young writers to choose quantity over quality in their projects

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/advice-for-young-writers

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

On today?s Best of Read Aloud Revival episode, I?m replaying one of our most popular episodes.

Without fail, at every homeschool conference, at least one person comes up to me and says, ?Dyslexia was not even on my radar until I listened to the episode with Marianne Sunderland.?

And that?s because most of us don?t understand what dyslexia really is and the signals to look for in our kids. And we don?t know what to do when they do show signs of having a dyslexic brain.

It?s important to remember that a dyslexic brain is not a disorder. Nothing needs to be fixed. It?s the way God made your child?s brain. And it?s genetic, so it?s the way God made your brain or your husband?s brain too.

Dyslexia means your child processes language differently, which means we need to teach dyslexic brains in a way that makes sense to dyslexic brains.

If you have any academic frustrations with your kids of any age, listen to this episode. Even if dyslexia is nowhere on your radar, I encourage you to listen. You might be surprised.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Dispelling myths about dyslexia as a learning disability or sign of low intelligenceSigns and signals to look out for beyond difficulties with readingHow homeschooling can provide better support for dyslexic kids than traditional schools

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/is-my-child-dyslexic/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

By far the most popular episode we?ve ever done here on Read Aloud Revival is the episode with my oldest daughter, Audrey, when we looked back together on homeschooling from her vantage point as a sophomore in college.

We discussed what worked, what didn?t, and about our homeschool experience in general.

And last spring, at the Great Homeschool Conventions, you all kept asking me when Audrey would be back on the podcast.

She?s now about to start her senior year at Franciscan University, so it seemed like a great time to check back in with her and get her perspective now that her college experience is almost complete.

Today, she?s answering your questions from inside the RAR Premium forum and the RAR Instagram.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

What gave Audrey the solid foundations for writing as an English majorAudrey?s advice for high school students and college freshmenWhat parents can do to help their children build a strong sense of faith

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/questions-for-homeschooling-graduate

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

There is one question that plagues us, that we all ask, and that we ask all the time: Am I doing enough?

When we constantly ask ourselves if we?re doing enough in our homeschool, it makes it difficult to stay present and engaged and actually enjoy it. Whether you?re relatively new to homeschooling or a seasoned veteran, we all wonder.

Today, I'm sharing the last of my sessions from The GHC Conferences 2023.

This one is all about taking the overwhelm out of that question and practical advice for putting your worry to rest.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why ?Am I doing enough?? is an incomplete questionWhy we have to remember that our kids are not recipesWhat?s at the heart of good education

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/doing-enough-homeschooling

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Today, I?m sharing another session from the Great Homeschool Conventions in 2023 all about homeschooling with babies and toddlers.

If you are homeschooling with babies and toddlers underfoot, this one's for you. Or if you have a friend who is homeschool with babies and toddlers, this one's for her, so please share it!

Full disclosure: My favorite part about going to the Great Homeschool Conventions is all the babies I get to snuggle and hold. So I created a session that would ensure I got maximum baby snuggles. This session was so much fun because the room was absolutely packed with babies and toddlers and there is something just next-level about being in a room with so much life. I LOVED it.

In this session, I talked about the lessons I learned from homeschooling with my own babies and toddlers underfoot, and strategies for not just surviving this time, but enjoying it, too.

In this episode, you?ll hear:

Why your babies and toddlers are not a distractionThree strategies for handling fussy, grabby toddlers in your homeschoolPractical tips for doing less in your homeschool

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/homeschooling-with-babies

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Are you struggling with how to tackle reading in your homeschool?

Maybe you have a child who?s a later reader or is having a tough time connecting with reading. Or maybe you have a kid who?s an advanced reader and they?re outpacing books that fit their emotional and social development.

Either way, it can be hard to know what to do to help your child build a strong relationship with reading that they?ll carry with them throughout their lives.

Today, I?m sharing a session from the Great Homeschool Conventions that I led with my friend and colleague Colleen Kessler of Raising Lifelong Learners.

In this conversation, we?ll talk about the challenges that come up with readers at both ends of the bell curve and how to help your differently wired kids fall in love with reading.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Three practical strategies for helping struggling readers: read-alouds, phonics, and timeSigns your child might be dyslexic and recommended resources for working with a dyslexic brainHow to help your advanced reader develop discernment in their book choices

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/differently-wired-kids/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

During my hardest year of homeschooling, I had a 12, 10, 8, and 1 year old, and twin newborns. Life was? a little chaotic.

One week, a friend of mine who had homeschooled all three of her kids asked, ?So how's homeschooling going??

And naturally, I burst into tears. I?m not sure she saw that coming. But then, maybe she did. 

Anyway, she asked me how I was keeping the kids on track for their schoolwork and how much they could do when I wasn?t able to lead them, and when I looked at her with a blank stare, she said, ?Okay, I?m going to come over tomorrow and I?ll bring some spiral notebooks.?

So, I cleared a path to the door and she came and she showed me how a 25 cent notebook could completely change our homeschool for the better.

Today, we're going to talk about those spiral notebooks-- the one simple tool that has had the biggest impact on my homeschooling life.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How the spiral notebook system combats overwhelm when you?re being pulled in too many directionsHow I used the spiral notebooks in our homeschoolThe modified system that we use in our homeschool now

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/spiral-notebooks-for-homeschool 

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Imagine that your child is grown up, and his or her reading life looks a lot like yours does right now.

How do you feel about that? 

Is your reading life something you want your kids to emulate when they?re adults? 

What if we built for ourselves the kind of reading life that we?d be delighted for our own kids to imitate? 

Novelist Katherine Paterson once wrote that ?a fondness for books is catching.?

I think she?s right. It?s much easier to be drawn into a reading life when the people around you also have a rich reading life.

And if you?re someone who wants to raise kids who love to read - that?s probably why you?re here, right? Modeling our own rich reading life is an incredibly important strategy in making that a reality.

Which means that reading ? not just to your kids, not just for your kids, not just about how to be a better mother to your kids ? but reading for the sheer joy of reading, is one of your most important jobs as a mother.

And regardless of what your reading life looks like today, it?s OK. Keep listening. 

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why modeling your own enjoyment of reading is such an important piece of raising kids who love to readHow reading reduces stress, makes us happier, improves focus and more!How to overcome the hurdles and read more (in fact we have a printable for that!)

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/mom-reading-life/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Today, in this Best Of Read Aloud Revival episode, we?re revisiting a conversation about a series I absolutely adore: The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall.

The Penderwicks follows the escapades of four spirited sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty. The books are a modern nod to Louisa May Alcott?s Little Women, and they?ve won tons of awards including the National Book Award for Young People?s Literature, several ALA Notable Children?s Book Awards, and the Massachusetts Children?s Book Award.

Since recording this interview for RAR episode 100, Jeanne unknowingly planted the seed for my own book, A Little More Beautiful, the Story of a Garden when I visited her and her Northampton, Massachusetts, home. So now, of course, we like to call A Little More Beautiful ?our book.?

The first book in the Penderwicks series, The Penderwicks, A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy is our RAR Premium Family Book Club pick for this summer.

That means we?ve got a full Family Book Club Guide with all the trimmings available now for members AND if you and your kids sign up for RAR Premium, they will have a chance to meet Jeanne Birdsall live on Zoom on August 25th.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How Jeanne got her start writing in her 40s and why it?s never too late to follow a dreamAbout Jeanne?s character-driven writing process and why she always envisioned the Penderwicks as a seriesWhere Jeanne gets her inspiration 

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/penderwicks-book-club/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

In this episode, I?m answering more of your questions.

You?ve sent in some fabulous messages and I?m going to tackle them rapid-fire for you and answer as many as possible today. 

Today I?m sharing about when to use Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) or teach composition, when and how to start using the library, and what to do when a teenager doesn?t enjoy reading.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why you don?t need to rush your kids into composition, and what I do insteadStrategies for handling books you?d rather your kids didn?t check out of the libraryHow to encourage older, dyslexic kids in reading

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/teaching-writing/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Full show notes can be found here: You Don't Need to Make the Most of Your Summer
Get RAR Premium HERE>>

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

In today?s episode, I?m answering your questions!

Listeners have sent in some fabulous questions for me, and I?m going to attempt to tackle them rapid-fire, including about where I get my favorite art prints, what to do with late-night readers, what to do if you don?t feel like you read aloud well, and more.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

My favorite places to find bookish artWhat I do if my kids stay up too late readingHow I handle assigned reading in my homeschool

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/late-night-readers/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Two weeks ago I shared the first 5 of 10 mistakes I?ve made in my homeschool -- believe me, I?ve made many, many more than that! 

But I?m highlighting 10 that stick out most prominently to me.

So in the last ?Best of Read-Aloud Revival? episode, I shared the first 5 and today I?m sharing the next 5. 

Hopefully, hearing these will keep you from making the mistakes I have. Homeschooling is a joy and a gift and it?s hard and wonderful and messy and effective -- it?s all of those things at once. I can promise you won?t get it perfect, and I can also promise that you don?t NEED to get it perfect. 

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Two big mistakes new homeschool parents often makeWhy you have to avoid the comparison trap in your homeschoolWhy more isn?t better when it comes to your homeschoolOne of the hardest lessons I?ve learned in my years of homeschooling

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/5-more-homeschool-mistakes/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

I?ve been homeschooling for a long time, and just like every other homeschooling mom I know, I?ve made a ton of mistakes. 

When I was new to homeschooling, I craved the insight of people who had been doing it for a while: 

What do you wish you did more of? 

What do you wish you worried less about? 

What would you do differently if you were starting over again?

These are the kinds of things I wanted to know.

At the time I?m airing this particular show, I have two college students who were homeschooled the whole way through. Our third child is about to graduate this spring and will also head to University. And then we?ve got three more -- ages 11, 9, and 9. And yeah? we?re doing things a little differently this time around. 

A couple of years ago I shared on this podcast some of my mistakes in homeschooling-- and they all remain true. So, it seemed like a good idea to talk about those mistakes again. 

Over this episode and the next one, I?ll be sharing 10 mistakes I?ve made in my homeschool -- five in this episode, and five in the next. 

If you heard these a few years ago when I first aired them, you might have a new take -- after all, you?re new in a new season of life than you were then. And if you haven't heard, I hope you enjoy. 

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

What really makes a difference in the quality of your homeschool (hint: it?s not agonizing over which curriculum to use)What I wish I?d known then that keeps overwhelm at bay nowWhy it?s okay for your homeschool to be ordinary

Find the rest of the show notes at:  https://readaloudrevival.com/5-homeschooling-mistakes/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Why do we make things mean more than they actually mean?

We all do it. 

We realize a kid doesn?t know how to tie their shoes at age 12, and we tell ourselves we?re forgetting to teach SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS. 

We feed our kids frozen pizza for dinner twice in a week and think it means we don?t care about their health. 

We sleep late and tell ourselves we?re lazy. 

We have a late reader and think it means we?re not good at this ?teaching reading? thing. 

We make things mean what they don?t mean ALL THE TIME.

And today? Today we?re gonna talk about it.

I?m sharing something we?ve been talking about in Circle with Sarah, which is our homeschool coaching program in RAR Premium. Recently I did a couple of episodes on why we need to keep data in its place in our homeschool and not make things mean what they don?t mean. 

I wanted you to hear it, so I?m sharing those two episodes in one RAR Podcast for you here. 

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why you have to learn to separate the data from your self-worth and value How to make use of what the data is actually telling youJournal prompts to help you suss out what the data is telling you and what you?re making it mean

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/its-just-data/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Today, I?m sharing a conversation with my friend and colleague, Cindy West.

Cindy teaches at No Sweat Nature Study, a homeschool nature study program that takes the guesswork out of nature study by teaching your kids directly. Cindy is also the host of the No Sweat Nature Study podcast, which features short episodes about nature. (My kids absolutely love it!)

Cindy and I recently had a conversation for her community about how to use picture books to teach nature study and today, I wanted to share it with you.

Because nature study kind of has a name for itself in the homeschooling world. We've sort of built it up as the supreme science activity and it can be wonderful - getting out in nature, observing and learning about the world around us ?

But we also tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves about it. There are just times in life when getting out in nature is harder than others ? maybe you have a new baby, maybe someone has allergies, maybe the weather is just plain terrible. 

There are plenty of reasons why you might need or want to do some of your nature study from the couch or the kitchen table.

And that?s why on today?s episode of the Read-Aloud Revival Podcast, Cindy and I are talking about teaching nature study through books.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How ?living literature? helps you kids make connections between books and the world around themHow making connections through picture books can relieve some of the pressure around nature studyWhy picture book biographies are great launching points for all ages

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/cozy-couch-nature-study/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

I have a theory that if I were to ask a hundred of today?s children?s book authors and illustrators to name a book that had a profound impact on them, I bet an unusually large number of those authors and illustrators would mention the work of E.B. White.

I cannot count the number of times I?ve heard authors say that E.B. White?s books have made such a huge difference in their lives and writing.

I?m a big E.B. White fan myself, and while I love Charlotte?s Web and Stuart Little, my absolute favorite is The Trumpet of the Swan.

And that?s what we?re reading this spring in RAR Premium for our Family Book Club. Plus, we?re going to look closely at first-lines (E.B. White was a master of this) for a WOW: Writer?s on Writing Event.

It?s going to be quite the fabulous E.B. White spring here at RAR! 

 

So today, we?re revisiting an episode from 2017 with children?s book illustrator Melissa Sweet discussing her children?s biography of E.B. White, called Some Writer.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

How each story informs Melissa?s process of creating mixed media illustrationsHow a family of crafters and makers inspired Melissa to become an artistHow Melissa?s research into E.B. White?s work led to the visuals for Some Writer 

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Mentioned in This Episode:

RAR #202: For Kids Who Don't Like Sad Stories

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Charlotte?s Web

Stuart Little 

The Trumpet of the Swan

Some Writer

A Boy, A Mouse, and a Spider

The Baby Bear Series

The Pinky and Rex Series

The Boy Who Drew Birds

Brave Girl

Balloons Over Broadway

A Splash of Red

You Nest Here with Me

The Right Word

A River of Words

Every year, the Read-Aloud Revival team watches the American Library Association?s Youth Media Awards together. This is the award show where the medals that are considered the most prestigious in children?s publishing are given.

Today I?m joined by Kortney Garrison, our Community Director, Kara Anderson, our Creative Director, and Harmony Harkema, or brand new Managing Editor at both Read-Aloud Revival and Waxwing Books.

We are going to talk about the winners that were announced on January 30, 2023. We?ll talk about the books we were delighted to see honored, as well as some books that we think should have been honored. 

And you know we have opinions about that. ;)

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

The impact the awards can have for authors and illustratorsThe announcements that made us cheerThe book gems that didn?t make the list and why we love them

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/books-that-won/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

Oh boy, do we have a treat for you today!

Our team here at Read-Aloud Revival has been hard at work on a brand new booklist for you and I?ve invited Kortney Garrison and Kara Anderson from the RAR team back to this side of the podcast to tell you all about it.

Nature study can be an intimidating subject that carries a lot of expectations in the homeschooling world. It?s something we want to do, but it can get pushed to the side because we don?t always have the energy to tramp around the woods with a watercolor set.

So this project started with our team asking, how can we simplify nature study and make it more likely to happen? Could it really be as simple as reading a book and doing an activity?

We think so! And that?s where our brand new booklist and activity guide comes in.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Why we chose 12 books per season, and why you don?t have to read them allHow we paired books and activities to make them as accessible as we couldHow the guide brings know, do, and love to nature study

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/simple-homeschool-nature-study/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

What do you do if you notice that your child isn?t finishing books?

How can you get your kids to widen their reading taste outside of a single genre?

How can you describe what you do for literature on a high school transcript when you take a more relaxed Read-Aloud Revival approach to the subject?

And what can you do to help boost your child?s emotional intelligence and reading comprehension while reading? 

Today, I?m answering listeners? questions about their kids? reading habits, from bouncing from book to book to getting stuck in a genre rut, and more.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Is it okay if your child is reading from rather than through?How can we expand our child?s reading repertoire (without assigning them books)?How to describe literature on a high school transcriptHow picture books can help a child having difficulty with social and emotional cues

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/when-your-child-doesnt-finish-books/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.

I want to help you think about what?s most essential in your homeschool. 

I?ve invited Kortney Garrison and Kara Anderson from the RAR team to chat with me about a favorite book when it comes to essentializing.

We've been talking and thinking about the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown a lot here at Read Aloud Revival, especially as it relates to homeschooling. We're reading the book in our Mama Book Club in RAR Premium in January and I will tell you this book is easily one of the books I can say has changed my life.

That is not an exaggeration. I think Read Aloud Revival itself has been built on the principles in Essentialism. I've probably reread it a dozen times.This book has changed the way I've thought about my own life and maybe this is due to me being a mother to half a dozen kids but this idea of less but better really appeals to me. 

Today, Kortney, Kara, and I are going to dig into just the first chapter and how it relates to our homeschools.

In this episode, you?ll hear: 

Defining Essentialism and why the concept is so needed for homeschool parentsHow doing less, but better can help us set priorities in our homeschools and avoid decision fatigueHow comparing your kids? progress to the baseline, not the ideal, can give you a better perspective on your successes

Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/essentialism-for-homeschoolers/

Order Dear Duck, Please Come! and Beyond Mulberry Glen from Waxwing Books.